Disney tests "queueless wait" system at Hollywood Studios

The sprint to Rock'n'Roller Coaster and the Tower of Terror is a fixture of mornings at Disney's Hollywood Studios

Walt Disney World is testing a new system at Disney's Hollywood Studios which sees guests waiting for attractions in special areas instead of traditional standby lines.

The system is currently being tested on the popular Rock'n'Roller Coaster attraction, having being tested last week at the Magic Kingdom for character meet-and-greets. It works in a similar way to many doctor's surgeries, with guests given a number and returning (in groups) to the attraction when their number is called.

The move is designed to reduce the boredom and discomfort that guests experience when waiting in standby lines at peak times, and potentially to give Disney a chance to sell them merchandise and refreshments while they wait. To this end, Disney has populated the standby area with a DJ, merchandise stands and Guitar Hero video games. Guests are free to leave the area, but will miss out on their ride if they do not return to the attraction within 5 minutes of their number being called.

The system appears to be designed to complement, rather than replace, the existing FASTPASS and standby line systems - both of which have remained available during the trial. Disney has previously announced that the queueless wait system will be used for the updated Dumbo ride which will form part of the Fantasyland expansion at the Magic Kingdom - potentially reducing complaints from parents of small children who are desperate to ride the slow-loading attraction.

Disney regularly experiments with new queuing systems, but doesn't adopt all of them. Earlier this year, it ran a trial of a "centralized" FASTPASS system at Disney's Animal Kingdom, but is yet to announce a further roll-out of the system.

The company has also sought to improve guest experience of standby lines in other ways - for instance, by installing interactive games throughout the queue system of Space Mountain during its recent refurbishment.

(Thanks to @TouringPlans on Twitter for additional information on the new system).

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